THE ESTIMATES

Evening Star, Issue 22804, 12 November 1937, Page 8

THE ESTIMATES

£IO,OOO FOR DEER DESTRUCTION MACHINE GUNNING FROM AIR SUGGESTED [Peu United Pbess Association.] WELLINGTON, November 12. The House met at 10.30 a.m. Tho Church of England Trusts Amendment Bill (Mr Enclcan) was read formally a second tinic. Amendments made by the Committee of Selection to tho Nelson Diocesan Trust Board Empowering Bill were agreed to on the motion of Mr Atmore, the member in charge of the Bill. The Prime Minister’s motion for the sitting of the House on Mondays for the remainder of the session was passed. Seven days’ leave of absence was granted Mr Denham on account of urgent private business. The House then proceeded with consideration of the Estimates, urgency being accorded a number of classes. Considering the Internal Affairs Department vote of £456,415, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Hamilton, asked if the Minister would explain tho increase in these estimates. He also referred to an item of £7OO for the provision of a loud speaker for Parliament grounds. He thought there were sufficient loud speakers in Parliament itself without having to spend an additional £7OO for one.

Mr Holyoake referred to the menace to forests by deer, and commended the" work which had been done in providing for their eradication. He suggested that a bounty should be provided for private deer stalkers. Mr Broadfoot also commended the provision of £IO,OOO for the destruction of deer, and commended the fine work which had been done_ by the department’s officials in reducing the deer herds in Otago and Southland. Mr Barclay, referring to Opposition criticism of the amount expended for the trip overseas of the Minister of Finance, said the trip had resulted in very beneficial results. A sum of £5,000 had Been spent on the trip, and it had resulted in the Dominion benefiting to the extent of a million pounds. That was good business. Mr Hargest referred to the steady increase in the cost of the High Commissioner’s Office in London. _ There were votes for the High Commissioner’s Office right throughout the Estimates, and if they were lumped together the total vote would amount to nearly £50,000. He thought it time a halt was called in this expenditure, and suggested that some return might be accepted for services which at present the Commissioner’s office gave free.

Mr O’Brien also referred to the deer menace. Aeroplane pilots had suggested to him that deer might be machine-gunned from the air. He suggested that a royalty should be offered for the destruction of deer, and said it was time a serious effort should be made to combat the menace. Mr Wright said 4re would support expenditure which would exterminate deer. Extermination was the only cure of the deer menace. NO PLEASURE TRIP. The Minister' of Finance, Mr Nash, speaking of his trip overseas and _ its cost of £5,000, said it was not possible for him to have done more for the expenditure of that £5,000. Not a moment of his trip had been spent in pleasure, and in every country he visited he completed the necessary work with tho Government of that country. New Zealand, he said, had fewer representatives at the Imperial Conference than any other dominion. There had been trade results which had justified the expenditure, and as far as the Imperial Conference was concerned the Dominion simply had to be represented. The Minister of Internal Affairs. Mr Parry, replying, said the officers of tho department responsible for the destruction of deer deserved congratulation for the work they had done. He had been criticised for his attitude in declaring war on deer,_ but he had no hesitation in doing so in view of the destruction for which deer were responsible. Referring to the purchase of a loud speaker for Parliament grounds, the Minister said that hitherto the Government had been forced to hire loud speakers for functions there, but it had been decided to buy a set, which for public purposes generally was very necessary.

The Internal Affairs Department vote was passed after the Prime Minister had applied the closure, and the House proceeded to consider the vote of £6,769,423 for the .Pensions Department. Discussing this vote, the Leader of the Opposition suggested that perhaps the Government might consider some system of superannuation for members of Parliament.

Tho House adjourned at 1 p.m.